Invalid&#39;s boot with thick resilient insole



y 1952 H. J. BRONSON 2,598,217

INVALIDS BOOT WITH THICK RESILIENT INSOLE Filed July 9, 1949 2 SHEETS -SHEET l INVENTOR. HAZEL J BRONSON BY QMZZ, 6%

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M y 1952 H. J. BRONSON 7 INVALIDS BOOT WITH THICK RESILIENT INSOLE Filed July 9, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 INVENTOR. HAZEL J BRONSON dam/Z371, Mvu M 14 TTO/FNEYS.

Patented May 27, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

INVALIDS. BOOT WITH THICK RESILIENT INSQLE Hazel J. Bronson, Garden City, N. Y. Applicationduly 9,1949, Serial.No.-103 ,793

Claims. (01. 36-815) This invention relates to an improved'invalid's boot for a cast-bound or bandaged foot. and more particularly to a soft and pliable footcoveringproviding a resilient and gentle support for an invalids foot during convalescence from limb andfoot injuries, diseases and infections.

When the bones in the foot or legare broken and placed in a plaster castror when the leg or foot'has sufiered other injury or'infection and is consequently heavily bandaged, the foot of the injured limb must be fully protected during the period the patient is convalescing and uses crutches, and again as he carefully uses hisinjured limb in walking.

This invention is directed to the provision of an improvedboot to be worn by the invalid during convalescence designed to satisfy the delicate and exacting requirements and conditions of injured limbs. This improved boot has a soft and flexible upper se'ctionwhich gently encases the bandaged foot, a highly resilient inner sole providing asoftly cushioned'.support for the foot when walking, and a wear resistant outer sole. This improved boot is constructed to insure thoroughventilation of the foot when Worn, is light in weight, flexible in size and is designed to permit complete freedom to foot fiexure without pressure on any part of the foot encased therein. The improved boot made in accordance with this invention can be fabricated'and manufactured at low cost in various sizes to. durablyserve the exacting requirements of various injured limb conditions.

The improved invalid boot made in accordance with this invention comprises a boot body formed from a pair of upper side wall sections stitched to" a bottom wall section, the boot body being preferably made of' light, strong and flexible sheet material such as a textile fabric or light porous leather; The boot body is provided with an inner sole formed from a highly resilient material such as'sponge rubber, foam rubbeiyor highly resilient felt, having a thickness of approximately one-fourth inch or more and prefenable a thickness of one-half inch to approximately'oneinch. The resilient inner sole member maybe retained in wearingposition in the boot body by a toe pocket and a heel pocket formed of textile or like flexible material which is sewn to the bottom section of" the boot body. Inother'form of the invention, the resilient inner-sole member may be encased or-unwrapped in aflexible liner envelope which is sewn to the boot body" to'retain'the inner sole member in.

pmpellwealing p i on. An outer'sole member is provided formed of flexible rubber, leather or fibrous composition. which. may be cemented or stitched to the outer faceof the. bottom section of the boot body toprovide a durable walking surface for the hoot.

The frontface 0f the boot is preferablyopen fromv the top to the. sole. of the boot, withthe front edges of the upper sections provided with suitable lacing; eyelets-or the like to permitloose lacing of the boot to loosely conform to the bandaged foot. The boot-body may also'be. provided with a heelslit or side slits in cases where the adjacent parts of the injured footare particularly sensitiveto contact.

This improved invalid bootismade from relatively few parts of relatively inexpensive mateials, which can be sewn andv assembled'together with minimum labor and with sewingmachines and equipment. commonly employed in Clothing establishment's. This improvedboot is soft and fiexible gently encases the injuredfoot without pressure, softly and. resiliently supports the weight with a uniform distribution of pressure over the sole of the foot, is light. in weight, durable in. use. andl satisfies to an Outstanding. vdc.- gree the exacting requirements 'and-varyingLconditions of a footv protector andlwalking boot for injured limbs and feet.

Other objects and. advantages of this invention willb'ecome apparent as. the disclosure proceed's.

Although the characteristic features of the invention Willbe particularly pointed out. ill the claimsappended hereto, the'invention itself, and.

the manner "to which it maybe-carried out, may be better "understood." by referring to the following descriptiontaken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which: I

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an improved invalids boot made'in accordance. with this invention, a certain part being broken away to illustrate structural features.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of' the resilent pad used to form the insole for this improved. invalids boot.

Fig.3 is aplan view of the wearing which forms the outer sole of the boot.

Fi 4 is an nlar ed fragmentary cro .s-'s c tional' view taken alonggline. 4' .4 of Fig. 1 m s.- trating certain structural details.

Fi 5 is anoth nlarged fra mentary rosssectional view taken along line 5+5 of Fig. 1 ilmember lustrating l' further structural details.

Fig; 6 is'aplan' view of'the sheet material 'as' 3 cut to form the upper and bottom sections of the boot body.

Fig. '7 is a plan view of one of the two facing strips, one of which is sewn to each upper section of the boot body to receive the lacing eyelets.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of one of the insole retainers, one of which is sewn at the toe end and the other at the heel end of the bottom section of the boot body to provide pockets for retaining the insole in position.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of another invalids boot of somewhat modified construction made in accordance with this invention, certain parts being broken away to illustrate structural details.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary crosssectional view of the boot as the same appears when viewed along line Ill-Ill of Fig. 9 and illustrating further structural details.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of another form of insole assembly comprising a highly resilient pad covered by a wrapping of sheet material to provide an inner bottom liner for the boot.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the bottom section which is stitched to the upper side sections to provide the boot body as shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 13 is a plan view of one of the two upper side sections which are to be stitched to the bottom section shown in Fig. 12 to provide the boot body; and

Fig. 14 is a plan view of the wrapper sheet used to encase the resilient inner sole as shown in Fig. 11.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings and specification.

The improved invalids boot as illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a boot body A which may be economically fabricated from a prepared blank cut to the shape generally illustrated in Fig. 6, to provide upper side sections I and 2 and a bottom section 3. The blank is cut from a sheet material which is strong, tough and wear resisting, yet soft, flexible and comfortable to the wearer, and can be advantageously made from a selected textile such as woven canvas or duck fabric, or soft and flexible leather.

The insole member 13 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is patterned to comfortably conform to the shape of the foot, and is designed to seat on the bottom section 3 of the boot body. The insole member B is formed from a material which is soft and highly resilient, such as sponge rubber, foam rubber, or a soft and resilient felt. The insole member B is made of substantial thickness, which may be approximate onefourth inch to one inch in thickness, so that it will flexibly conform to the sole of the foot on which it is worn and provide a resilient and soft foot support with uniform distribution of the foot weight.

An outer sole member C, shaped to conform to the sole of the'foot, is secured to the outer face of the bottom section 3 of the boot body A. The outer sole member C may be made of any suitable wear resistant material such as rubber, wearable plastic, leather, canvas or a fibrous composition, and may be substantially flat and may vary in thickness with the greatest thickness at the heel end thereof.

The resilient insole member B may be advantageously secured in wearing position within the boot body by the use of a pair of insole retainers D, one of which is sewn to the bottom section 3 of the boot body adjacent at the toe end thereof, the other retainer being sewn to the .bottom section 3 of the boot body at the heel end thereof, thereby providing spaced pockets for retaining the insole member B in wearing position. Each retaining member D may be formed from a cut blank of sheet material generally shaped as indicated in Fig. 8, the sheet material comprising a suitable strong and tough textile such as woven duck or canvas, or relatively thin, flexible leather.

The front edge of each of the upper sections I and 2 of the boot body A has a facing strip E sewn thereto, which may be cut from a sheet of flexible material such as woven duck or canvas, leather, or a leather simulating fabric. The facing strips E are designed to reinforce and strengthen the front edges of the upper side sections I and 2 and to receive the lacing eyelets H, or suitable buttons or snap fatseners for connecting the front edges of the upper sections of the boot body.

This improved invalids boot, as fabricated and made from the parts as above described, can be economically manufactured to retail at a moderate price to invalids having damaged lower limbs, or other sicknesses and diseases which makes desirable the use of a foot covering de signed to remove all harmful or painful pressure from the foot on which it is worn.

In assembling the improved invalid boot as illustrated in Fig. 1 from the parts shown in Figs. 2, 3, 6, '7 and 8, the front facing strips 20 may be conveniently sewn to the front edge 4 of the upper sections I and 2 of the boot body A while still in the form of flat blank as shown in Fig. 6. The edge 4 of each upper section I and 2 is sewn to the edge 2I of the associated facing strip 20 to provide a finished edge 22, with the spacing strip 29 overlying the outside face of the associated upper section as shown in Fig. 1. The opposite edge 23 of each facing strip 20 is secured by stitching 24 to the outside face of the adjacent upper section.

The top edge part 5 of each of the upper sections I and 2 is folded inwardly to provide an inturned strengthening band within the upper end of the boot body, with the free edge 6 sewn to the adjacent upper section by stitching I as illustrated in Fig. l. The lacing eyelets I1 01' like securing means may be conveniently attached to the facing strips 20 while the boot A is still in the expanded form shown in Fig. 6.

The boot body blank can then be shaped into boot form by taking the uncut portions 8 which connect the upper sections I and 2 to the bottom section 3 of the blank as shown in Fig. 6, and forming same into a double fold as shown in Fig. 4, and then applying the stitching 9 thereto. The free rear edge It of the bottom section 3 is infolded, and the adjacent rear free edge I I of each of the upper sections I and 2 is likewise infolded, with the inturned edges II overlapping the in turned edge It as shown in Fig. 5.

The free edge 21 of one of the insole retainers D as shown in Fig. 8 is also infolded and the retamer-inserted within the boot body and stitching 28 employed to secure the inturned edge 21 of the insole retainer to the'inturned free edge II of the upper sections I and 2, and the inturned free edge I i] of the bottom section 3, as shown in Fig. 5, to thereby provide an inturned edge seam. Similarly, the other insole retainer D is secured to the interior of the toe end of the boot by stitching 28 which secures the inturned edge '21 of the insole retainer to the front inturned edge l2 oithe upper sections l and .2 and the front inturned edge l3 of the bottom section 3. Thus the insole retainer at the toe end of the boot is secured to the boot body in the same manner as the insole retainer at the heel end of the boot, as illustrated in Fig. 5, Withthe spaced retalner-s providing a pair of spaced pockets into which the respective toe and heel ends of the insole member B may be inserted to. removabiy retain the same in proper wearing position.

When the stitching 28 is applied to the toe end' of the boot body, the lower edge 25 of each of thezfacing strips 20 will alsobe tucked inwardly and secured by the stitching 28 tothe lower bottom edges 12' of the sections 1 and 2 and the inturned edge 43. of the bottom section 3'.

The rear of the boot bod-y maybe made to provide a slit opening if the footinjuryis such as to require removal of all pressure from the heel area. In that. event, the rear edge [4 of the upper sections 1. and 2 of the boot body will not be sewn together but will be sewn to provide spaced finished edges. If the foot condition is such as to permit closing of the rear of the boot body, the freeinturned edges l 6. of the upper sections I and 2 can be sewn together by a double stitch l5 to provide a finished closing seam for the rear of the boot body; If desired, a puli'strap I161 formed of fabric or leather may be sewn to the rear of the boot body as shown in Fig. 1, to facilitate application and removal of the boot from the foot.

To protect the bottom section 3 of the boot body-and to provide .a suitable wear service, an outer sole member 0,. shaped to conform to the foot of the. wearer, may be secured bymeans of a suitable bonding adhesive 29 to the exterior face of the bottom section 3. The outer sole member C is preferably made from a soft and flexible wear resistant material such as rubber, leather, canvas or a flexible fibrous composition. The outer sole member C may be made somewhat thicker at the heel thereof to give a forward inclination to the foot on which the boot isworn.

There is shown in Fig. 9 to 14 inclusive an invalid boot made in accordance with this invention of somewhat modified form and also highly satisfactory in meeting the requirements of a 'comfortable and gentle boot for invalid wear. The improved'iinvalid boot as here shown comprises a -'boot body A for-med from a pair of similar upper sections I cut to the approximate shape shown in Fig. 13, and formed from strong and tough sheet material such as woven canvas, woven duck, or other woven textile material, or soft leather. The bottom section 3' is separatel'yout to the approximate shape of the foot as generally illustrated in Fig. 12.

In this construction, the resilient insole member B is wrapped in a liner covering 30 as shown in Fig. 11. The liner "covering 36 may be formed from a cut blank of treated or untreated textile material, soft leather or the like, cut to the approximate shape shown in Fig. 14, with the outer edge 3| thereof stitched together by lacing stitches 32 as shown in Fig. 11 to provide an enclosed wrapping within which the resilient insole member B is contained.

In the manufacture of the improved boot as shown in Fig. 9, the edge 2 l' of the facing strip 20, as shown in Fig. 7, may be sewn to the front edge 4' of each of the upper sections I to provide a finished edge 22, in the manner hereto- Lacingeyelets IT or other securing means are alsoapplied in spaced relation to each of the facing strips 20.

The upper edge part 5- of eachupper' section is inturnedwith the-free edget' (Fig.1 3) there.- of' sewnby stitching 7 to the upper section: I?" as showni-n Fig. 9. v

The boot body may be assembled asshown in Fig; 9- by infolding thezo'uter edge- 35 of the bot tom section 3' and stitching theinfolded i'ower edge 36 'of' each of the upper "section I thereto; as by stitching 31 'as illustrated in Fig. 1 0 thereby providing an: assembl'eclboot body A formed; from a pair of upper section's I and a bottom section 3. The resilient insole member B,

tained within the envelope wrapping. 30; may

then: be placed position againstv the inside face of the bottom section 3 and securedin position by stitching 38 which secures the envelope-coy ering 3.0 to the boot body in the manner illustrated in-Fig. 1 0.

The rear edge 14 of each of the-upper sections I maybe intu'rnedto provide a finished edge, and the rear edges of the upper sections may thenbe secured together, preferably "by? double stitching l 5- toprovidea strong and lasting boot body A. A pull on strap l 5' may also besewnto I the boot body as shown in Fig. 9 tof-aciiita'team plication and removal of the bootfrom the wearers foot. To protect the bottom section. 3" against wear, an outer sole member C, shaped to conform to foot as" shown in Fig. 3, m'ay'zbessecured as bya suitable adhesive 29 to the outer surface of the bottom sections".

As thus constructed theenvelope covering 3'0 prov-ides an inner liner for the fi'nished bodtas shown in -Fig. 9. The outer sole member B 'may be made somewhat thicker at the heel end to give the wearers foot ac'omfortable forward in clination.

Invalids boots may bemanufactured in ac-= cordance with this inventionatlow cost from relatively inexpensive 'materials requiring rem-- tively few assembly operations, providing foot gear which satisfies the delicate and exacting requirements and conditions of injured limbs, being light in weigh-t and flexible in size, -permitting complete freedom to foot flexu-re withoutpressure on anypart of the foot encased therein and thorough ventilation on'the foot when worn, and providing a soft cushioned support for-the foot when walking.

'While-certain novel features of this" invention have been disclosed herein, and arepointed out in the annexedeclaimsit will be-understood-that various omissions, substitutions, and changesmay be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is: Y

1. An improved invalids boot for a cast-bound or bandaged foot including, a washable boot body comprising a pair of upper side sections and a bottom section all formed from light, flexible and porous textile material, said pair of upper side sections being sewn together at the heel edges thereof with said bottom section sewn to the sole edges of said side sections, an infolded reinforcing strip sewn to the top edges of said side sections and a reinforcing strip sewn to the front edges of said sidesections, the side sections of the boot presenting free front edges extending from the top to the point of contact of said upper side sections with the toe end of the boot sole, lacing eyelets spaced along the free frontedges of said side sections, a removable insole member formed from highly resilient rubber having a substantially uniform thickness throughout its extent and in excess of one-half inch, said insole member covering substantially the entire inside face of said bottom section, and a relatively thin, flat and wear resisting outer sole member secured to the outer face of said textile bottom section.

, 2. An improved invalids boot for a cast-bound or bandaged foot including, a washable boot body comprising a pair of upper side sections and a bottom section all formed from light, flexible and porous textile material, said bottom section being stitched to the sole edges of said upper sections, said upper sections presenting free front edges extending from the top thereof to the point of contact of said upper sections with the toe end of the boot sole, spaced retainer pockets within the upper section of the boot body and secured to the inside face of the bottom section adjacent only the toe and heel ends thereof, a relatively thick and highly resilient rubber insole member having the toe and heel ends thereof removably insertable into said pockets from within the upper section of the boot to retain said insole member in wearing position, and a relatively thin, flat, washable flexible and wear resisting outer sole member secured to the outside face of said textile bottom section.

3. An improved invalids boot for a cast-bound or bandaged foot including, a washable boot body formed from light and flexible textile fabric comprising an upper section stitched to a bottom section and presenting free front lacing edges ex tending from the top thereof to the point of contact of said upper section with the toe end of the boot sole, spaced retainer pockets within the upper section of the boot body and secured to the inside face of the bottom section adjacent only the toe and heelends thereof, a highly resilient rubber insole member having a substantially uniform thickness of not less than one-half inch covering substantially the entire area of said bottom section, said insole member having the toe and heel ends thereof removably insertable into said pockets to retain said insole member in wearing position, and a relatively flat, washable, flexible, and wear resisting outer sole member secured to the outside face of said textil -bottom section.

4. An improved invalids boot for a cast-bound or bandaged foot including, a washable boot body comprising a pair of upper side sections and a bottom section all formed from light, flexible and porous textile material, said pair of side sections being sewn together at the heel edges thereof with the bottom section sewn to the sole edges of said side sections, reinforcing strips sewnto the top edges of said side sections, and front reinforcing strips sewn to the front edges of said side sections, said upper side sections presenting free front edges extending from the top thereof to the point of contact of said upper sections with the toe end of the boot sole, lacing eyelets spaced along the free front edges of said side sections, a highly resilient insole member formed from a 10 rubber composition, said insole member being substantially uniform in thickness in excess of onehalf inch covering substantially the entire inside area of said bottom section, spaced means between the upper sections of the boot body and adjacent only the heel and toe ends thereof for removably retaining said insole member in wearing position adjacent the inside face of said bottom section, and a relatively thin, flat, flexible and wear resisting outer sole member secured to the outside face of said textile bottom section.

5. An improved invalids boot for a cast-bound or bandaged foot including, a washable boot body comprising a pair of upper side sections and a bottom section all formed from light, flexible and porous textile material, said pair of upper side sections being stitched together at the heel ends thereof with said bottom section stitched to the lower edges of said upper side sections, the free front edges of said side sections extending for the full height thereof to the point of contact of said upper sections with the toe end of the boot sole, means associated with said front edges of said side sections for flexibly connecting said front edges together, a removable insole covering the entire inside face of said bottom section, said insole comprising a sponge rubber member of substantially uniform thickness throughout its extent and in excess of one-half inch, said insole having the inner face thereof covered by textile material, so and a relatively thin flat, flexible and wear resisting outer sole member secured to the outside face of said textile bottom section.

HAZEL J. BRONSON.

REFERENCES orrnn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 126,450 Drown May '7, 1872 1,027,249 Hale May 21, 1912 1,066,596 Fulton July 8, 1913 1,623,350 Leshin Apr. 5, 1927 2,198,338 Greider Apr. 23, 1940 2,235,694 Wolfhard Mar. 18, 1941 2,247,459 Wolfhard July 1, 1941 2,400,023 Potter May 7, 1946 2,409,813 Timson Oct. 22, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 244,771 Germany Jan. 28, 1911 

